Article archive / April 1, 2014
Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 4.
A bill put forth by Representative Simon would provide for greater access to telehealth services by providing for standards of care, confidentiality, and insurance coverage; expands the definition of telemedicine; creates the La. Commission on Telehealth Access. The proposal directs that a patient receiving telemedicine services may be in any location at the time that the telemedicine services are rendered and a telemedicine provider may be in any location when providing telemedicine services to a patient.
The proposed law defines "telemedicine" as the practice of medicine and transfer of medical data using interactive telecommunication technology that enables a physician and a patient at two locations separated by distance to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously or through the use of asynchronous store-and- forward technology.
The proposed law repeals present law and requires any person authorized by LSMBE to use the same standard of care as if the healthcare services were provided in person. The proposal further provides that the telemedicine provider is not required to conduct a patient history or physical examination of the patient before engaging in a telemedicine encounter if the telemedicine provider conducts a patient evaluation sufficient to meet the community standard of care for the service provided. The patient evaluation may be performed using telemedicine.
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